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I am currently in the process of migrating the content shared here to a series of new websites hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com.

As you explore this site, you may find links to a "page not found" instead of something cool and magickal. For this I apologize. I am very working hard behind the scenes to restore those pages along with a link to their homes on my new website where they can be viewed in full.

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Friday, December 31, 2010

The roots of Hogmanay perhaps reach back to the celebration of the winter solstice among the Norse, as well as incorporating customs from the Gaelic New Year's celebration of Samhain. In Rome, winter solstice evolved into the ancient celebration of Saturnalia, a great winter festival, where people celebrated completely free of restraint and inhibition. The Vikings celebrated Yule, which later contributed to the Twelve Days of Christmas, or the "Daft Days" as they were sometimes called in Scotland. The winter festival went underground with the Protestant Reformation and ensuing years, but re-emerged near the end of the 17th century....

At sunrise on the morning of the new year, go outside and find the largest stone you can carry. Take this back to your house and put it in a place of prominence. If you keep the stone in your house for a year, it will be one filled with prosperity. Replace the stone every year.

Friday, December 24, 2010

If one goes on Christmas night in the morning twilight into a wood or forest without uttering a word or letting a sound be heard, without looking around, without eating or drinking, without seeing any fire, and follow a path leading to a church, when the sun is rising, he will see...

Thursday, December 23, 2010

This is an old old spell - and posted here for educational and informational purposes only. Mistletoe berries are poisonous. This is the reason there will be dreams - some of them bad - some of them possibly fatal - so do not make or ingest this mixture!

Steep mistletoe berries, to the number of nine, in a mixture of ale, wine, vinegar and honey; take them on going to bed, and you will dream of your future lot. A storm in this dream is very bad; it is most likely you will then marry a sailor...
... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Magickal Apothecary, and can be found in its entirety here: Mstletoe Dreaming

Yule, also known as Midwinter and Winster Solstice, occurs on the Winter Solstice. This is the time of year when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky (Northern Hemisphere) and the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn. This usually happens between December 20th and December 23rd. The sun will only rise higher and higher in the sky from this point onward. Since it appears that the sun's light is growing as each day passes after this one, this holiday is celebrated as the birth of the sun.

The word Yule comes from the Old Norse "iul," meaning wheel ,and refers to the 'wheel of the year', (or the idea of the year, seen as a wheel turning as the seasons change)....

Also known as Mithras (for the Persian Sun God), Saturnalia (for the Roman God of sowing and husbandry) and The Great Day of the Cauldron (from Druid Legend). It is the celebration of the return, or rebirth, of the Sun God, the Lord of Life. The celebrations were traditionally performed with the utmost solemnity, yet also with the highest rejoicing, for they resolve the paradox of Death and Rebirth. It represents the redemption of the world from Death and Darkness, as such it is a celebration of hope and joy amidst the gloom of winter.

The word Yule can be traced to the Celtic word `Hioul" which means wheel. This festival is an important point in the turning of the wheel of the year. Wreaths were made to symbolize this wheel, combining solar significance with tree-god significance. In ancient times Celts venerated trees as earthly representatives of the Gods, and it was felt that nothing short of the sacrifice of a mighty tree-god would cause the receding sun to take pity on them and return....

Friday, December 17, 2010

The Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honor of Saturn, celebrated on the 17th of December. Saturn being an ancient national god of Latium, the institution of the Saturnalia is lost in the most remote antiquity. Falling towards the end of December, at the season when the agricultural labors of the year were completed, it was celebrated by the country-people as a sort of joyous harvest home, and in every age was viewed by all classes of the community as a period of absolute relaxation and unrestrained merriment. The festival was extended in later times to three and still later to seven days....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been combined with another, and moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, and can be found here: Saturnalia

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Calling a situation into balance can be a bit tricky. For example, suppose you are upside down in your finances - more going out than you can bring in. You can use fire and ice to call for a balance. Here is a spell that can be used to bring balance to any situation.

When using fire and ice together, you are calling for a natural balance to take place. It can be a balance of the self, a balance of a situation, or even a balance of the checkbook. This is a great spell to do during the Christmas Lunar Eclipse....

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Notes: I am assuming that this counting of the days begins and ends with the new moon. Notice that there are 29 days listed even though it only takes the moon 27.3 days to orbit the earth. I also found the juxtaposition of the Major Arcana of the Tarot with Old Testament happenings, and the Goddess Hecate (see day 27), an interesting mix.

1. The Juggler, or Magus— The first day of the moon is that of the creation of the moon itself. This day is consecrated to mental enterprises, and should be favorable for opportune innovations.

2. Pope Joan, or Occult Science — This day is propitious to revelations, initiations, and great discoveries of science.

3. The Celestial Mother, or Empress— The third day was that of man's creation. So is the moon called the MOTHER in Kabbalah, when it is represented in association with the number three....

Friday, December 03, 2010

For this spell you will need to bake gingerbread cookies. The cookies are made the usual way, with the exception of one large cookie with a hole cut out of the middle (before baking). While rolling out and cutting the cookie shapes, spend time thinking about what it is that you are trying so hard to fill up with food. Is there an empty place inside you, a place of lack and hunger?

While the cookies are baking, find a red or gold ribbon long enough to tie around your wrist.

After the cookies are baked and cooled. Take the cookie with the hole in the middle, hold it gently in your hands and say the following charm:

There's a large empty placeIn me I can't fillI ask now the Goddess and GodIf they willWhen enough is enoughWhen more isn't rightplease fill me insteadwith love laughter and lightAnd give me just what is neededTo move through the dayIn the very most possible (magical, powerful, wonderful... etc) way.

Eat the cookie slowly, savor the flavor. Tie the ribbon around your wrist to help you remember the sweetness of the moment. Repeat the charm twice more. Say the words slowly and mean every word.

Now share the rest of the cookies with family, friends, and wildlife. When that empty feeling comes again, and it will, take hold of the ribbon, and repeat the charm, remembering the sweetness of cookies and the joy of sharing, opening yourself again to the Goddess and the God.

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

In the Julian calendar, this month came tenth in succession; thus the name for December comes from decem, meaning "ten" (hence the name for our modern decimal system). During this month the nights continue to get longer, and the weather often turns wet and cold. Many people find themselves struggling with the blues because of the lack of sunlight. This was probably the case for our predecessors too, so it's not surprising to find, scattered throughout the month, many rituals of light (like Yule), or those that give strength to the sun. These inspire extra inner light to keep things warm emotionally and physically.

Metaphysically, December is a good time to look within, meditate, and regroup before the new year. Focus on magic that purifies, heals, banishes depression, improves endurance, and increases your personal vitality. Also extend a little of this energy to the earth and sky, so that the Wheel of the Year will run toward the light once more, and with it your spirit.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

To relieve feelings of depression, helplessness, and hopelessness, journey to a crossroads and absorb the power.

The crossroads is the juncture of powerful energies, where all possibilities meet. Don't go to a traffic intersection - the most common modern crossroads. Excessive yang energy will only worsen the situation. What you need is a traditional witch's crossroads, ideally the intersection of remote streets but at least roads with minimal traffic.

You don't have to do anything; just linger, keep your mind open and absorb the converging energies.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Here is a quick and extensive listing of pagan, wiccan, roman, magical, and other holidays for November 2010 through December 2011. The dates of the new and full moons are also listed. As you can see there is a reason to celebrate just about any day of the year. Some of the more obscure holidays have short explanations. As we post about the various festival days and celebrations, links will be updated, so be sure to bookmark this post.

Note:some of the holidays are different depending on which side of the equator you are on. Also the dates of some festivals and feast days vary from year to year.

12: Chinese Moon Festival -The Festival of Chang O, on the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox, the Chinese people pay homage to the moon goddess Chang O. Some Chinese celebrate this day as the moon's birthday.

19: The Fast of Thoth, this day-long fast honors the Egyptian god of wisdom and magic.

24: The feast of Baba Yaga. On the full moon of November, the supreme crone goddess of old Russia is honored with a feast day. Once honored as an important old goddess, she is now often portrayed as a wicked old witch.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Often, the items we truly need cannot ride home with us in a bag from the mall during the holiday season countdown. The day before Thanksgiving, take a trip to the tree nursery and find a small, potted evergreen. On your way home, purchase a few yards of red, green, and white ribbon.

Crossroad is a symbolic term denoting the union and joining of paths. The association of the crossroad with Witchcraft goes back to ancient Greek and Roman times. Classically the crossroad symbolizes a joining of three roads, the balance of opposites, and the meeting of time and space....

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

In the black furror of a fieldI saw an old witch-hare this night...
I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Widdershins, (hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com) and can be found in it's entirety here: The Old Witch Hare

Monday, November 01, 2010

The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos in Spanish) is a Mexican and Mexican-American celebration of deceased ancestors which occurs on November 1 and November 2, coinciding with the similar Roman Catholic celebrations of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.

While it is primarily viewed as a Mexican holiday, it is also celebrated in communities in the United States with large populations of Mexican-Americans, and to a lesser extent elsewhere in Latin America.

Despite the morbid subject matter, this holiday is celebrated joyfully...

Baba Yaga is the Russian spirit who rules the conjunction of magic and harsh reality, of limits and possibilities. This Death Spirit provides fertility when she chooses, but she also consumes those who disappoint her....

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Although it's customary in many traditions to spend time at the grave site, cleaning, caring, and sometimes bringing offerings of food and drink, particularly during Day of the Dead celebrations, a more direct method was used in ancient Greece....

The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico and other countries can be traced back to the indigenous peoples such as the Olmec, Zapotec, Mixtec, Mexican, Aztec, Maya, P'urhépecha, and Totonac. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors have been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2500–3000 years. In the pre-Hispanic era, it was common to keep skulls as trophies and display them during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth.

The festival that became the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, about the beginning of August, and was celebrated for an entire month. ...

Friday, October 29, 2010

When the devil appeared to Cuvier, the great man looked at him nonchalantly and asked curtly: "What do you wish of me?" "I've come to eat youl" said the devil. But the great anatomist's shrewd eye had already examined him. "Horns and hoofs !" he retorted, "granivorous. You can't do it!" Whereupon, outfaced by science, Satan departed.

Plinius Secundus remembers a house at Athens which Athenodorus, the philosopher, hired, and which no man durst inhabit, for fear of the haunting devils. Hesperius, the tribune's house, at Zubeda, near the city of Hippos, was also thus haunted; and he was so much vexed with these demons and ghosts that he could not rest....

Never look in the looking-glass at night, unless you wish to see the devil. (Russia.)

The devil often takes the form of a black dog.

The Scotch believed that the devil had two crows sitting on his shoulders, who told him everything that goes on in the world.

As long as the people of Europe represented the devil in human form, they made him black; but the Australians and Africans make him as white as possible. Perhaps that suggested the saying that the devil is not so black as he is painted.

The Jews believed that by sounding a consecrated horn, the devil was made to take to his heels.

In Yorkshire, if you walk three times around a room at midnight in perfect darkness, and then look in the glass, you will see the devil's face.

There is a superstition that the devil always appears with a cloven foot, horns, and a tail. He disguises himself in many ways, but sooner or later one or the other of these will be sure to be seen.

The satan of superstition used to be thought to be the builder of all castles, bridges, monuments and works of art beyond man's strength, and he was also the moulder of the mountains and valleys.

The Australian aborigines believe that the devil is a night-bird, which they call Kvingan. The explorer frequently hears the strange, unearthly cry of this bird, but when he attempts to shoot a specimen, the natives refuse to accompany him on these occasions, and he will always be unsuccessful

The devil is betokened to be standing behind a person who makes faces in the looking-glass.

To raise the devil, the Scotch people made a circle with chalk, put a hat on it and said the Lord's Prayer backwards.

If, in conjuring the devil, you have a light, your words will have power.

The devil's grandmother is, as the Magyars say, 777 years old.

To say the word "devil" and not cross yourself, will bring him near.

If you wish the devil and his angels to flee from your dwelling, always bless your candle before you light it.

In conjuring the devil, it is necessary to have a light; words spoken in the dark having no power.

The Welsh have a custom of whitening all their houses, as they think the devil cannot come through white doors.

An English superstition is to the effect that you can call the devil to sight by saying the Lord's Prayer backwards.

In Russia, the devil prefers places with a great deal of water near them, therefore it is unlucky to live near a pond or river.

At Cape Coast Town, the natives arm themselves with sticks and other weapons, and prepare with much ceremony to drive out the devil. This takes place once a year toward the close of August.

There was a very tall, leafless, and black tree that stood many years ago at the end of the village of Biggar, in Scotland, which was generally believed to be possessed by the devil. No boy would pass that tree after dark on any account, as it was sure ill luck to do so.

Many conflagrations, in Bulgaria, are attributed solely to the power of Satan, who, when angry, can send all sorts of evil on men. Some did bloody penances of propitiation to ward off the ill influence.

If something is missing from its usual place and you cannot find it, it is a sign that the devil is holding his hand over it.

Many old traditions of Western Norway report a "black book," by means of which the devil could be let loose to do the service of the owner. He also could tie him up again when he so desired.

The Gold Coast people believe that the devil is always on hand to do mischief, and for that reason, slaves are made to slip into the seats of their masters as soon as they rise, to prevent the devil from sitting in the master's seat.

In the "Customs of the Welsh," by the Rev. W. Bingley, it is stated that it was usual in some parts of North Wales, whenever the name of the devil occurred, for the congregation to spit on the floor, and when the name of Judas was mentioned, for them to express their abhorrence of him by striking their breasts.

In New England, the devil was called, in the old days of witchcraft, "the black man," a soubriquet probably borrowed from English superstition. In "The Golden Legend," there is a story representing the evil spirit as a man clad in black, of great height, and mounted on a superb black horse.

Perfume made of the gall of a black dog, and a black dog's blood smeared on the walls and posts of the house, were believed by the Scotch to drive out both devils and witches.

In New Brunswick, it is believed that the devil and a select company come upon the draw of the bridge and dance a hornpipe there, it is therefore very unlucky to cross the fatal draw after ten o'clock at night

Amaymon was a mythical king of the East, one of the principal devils who might be bound or restrained from doing harm from the third hour till noon, and from the ninth hour till evening. He is alluded to in Shakespeare's "Henry IV.," and in the "Merry Wives of Windsor." According to Holme, he was the chief of the dominion of the north part of the infernal gulf.

If anyone wishes to know whether a deceased person ever had intercourse with the devil during his life, let him peep through the hames of the horses that carry the hearse, when, if such has been the case, he will see a black dog sitting behind the carriage.

An old French recipe for raising the devil is the following: Take a black cock under your left arm, and go at midnight to where four crossroads meet, then utter "Robert!" nine times and the devil will appear, take the cock, and leave you a handful of money.

The devil hates dried peas in Japan, and flees from them; they are therefore thrown about the houses to drive the devils out. Devils are also very much afraid of a holly leaf and the head of a sardine-like fish, called the iwashi. If you nail these to the entrance of your house, no devil will dare to enter in.

The Chinese believe that those who eat of the plant called Shuimong will die immediately after and become shui-mong devils; such devils are incapable of being born again, unless they can find someone else who has eaten the same plant, and is willing to take their place.

In North Wales, it used to be the custom to spit at the name of the devil and strike the breast three times at the name of Judas, to ward off evil influences. This was especially done in church.

If a man in Denmark wishes to have any communication with the devil, he must walk around the church three times, and on the third, stop and either whistle or cry, "Come out!" through the keyhole.

Persons who enter into a compact with Satan can raise wind and storms by calling him up, and these disturbances cannot be stilled save by the death of a black cock, a black dog, or an unchristened child.

In Scotland, the devil was supposed to appear often as a goat with rough hair, as the devil in the Scriptures is represented as such an animal. Sometimes he is seen riding on a goat with fire between its horns, to join in the Sabbath dance of the witches. He has a long curling tail, horns on his head from which sparks fly out, cloven hoofs, and a terrible smell of brimstone.

The following three proverbs, now applied metaphorically, are based on ancient superstition about the devil:

"Talk of the devil and he is sure to appear."

"Talk of the devil and he will show his horns."

"Think of the devil and he is sure to be back of you."

Jason Pratensis wrote that "the devil being a slender, incomprehensible spirit, can easily insinuate and wind himself into human bodies and, cunningly couched in our bowels, vitiate our healths, terrify our souls with fearful dreams, and shake our minds with furies. These evil spirits go in and out of our bodies as bees do in a hive, and so provoke and tempt us as they see we are inclined by our humors to it, or are most apt to be deluded." But, "Whether by obsession or possession these things are done, I cannot determine."

Thursday, October 28, 2010

The celebrations on the eve of All Souls Day, called Halloween, stem from the Celtic New Year celebration called Samhain. When the Sun goes down on this eve, there is a time between the old year and the creation of the new. Specifically, this occurs at sunrise.

In this twilight of the years, the veil between this world and the world of the spirit is thin. It is a time when ghosts and spirits can interact with the living, and a time when divination is most effective. This is a sacred time when all warriors were to keep their swords sheathed....

Friday, October 22, 2010

The Hunter's Moon is so named because plenty of moonlight is ideal for hunters shooting migrating birds in Northern Europe. The name is also said to have been used by Native Americans as they tracked and killed their prey by autumn moonlight, stockpiling food for the winter ahead....

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

According to the Farmers Almanac full moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred.

This means that the name given to each moon applies to the whole cycle of the moon, from its dark beginning to its dark ending. There was some variation in the Moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.

European settlers followed that custom and created some of their own names. Since the lunar month is only 29 days long on the average, the full Moon dates shift from year to year.

What follows is a list of links to each Month's moon names based on the month in which the full moon occurs. I find it helpful to know the names of the upcoming moon as this gives me focus and ideas for ways to celebrate Grandmother Moon as she moves through the wheel of the year.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

If there's one presence you'd want to have on your side in the courtroom, in a dark alley, or at any time you feel threatened, it's the Archangel Michael. Michael's celestial mission is to be humanity's defender. He epitomizes justice. You can request that he come to your assistance.

Post his image, burn fragrant gum resins and use his invocation to call him...

Michael the Archangel's flaming sword illuminates dreams and provides safety as you linger in dreamland. This dream oracle affirms whether a spiritual petition or request is appropriate or not. This spell is based on surviving remnants of Alexandria's Magical Papyri. The request for the dream is made using a magic lamp.

This spell doesn't assume that you have a special ritual lamp. Oil lamps were once common houseold articles, like a table lamp is today: it wan't a big deal back then for a spell to suggest using one, any more than a modern spell's request for a spoonful of salt is an inconvenience. An everyday oil lamp may be used, or you can dedicate and charge a special lamp just for spell casting....

September 29th is a medieval holiday which the Church Christianized under the label of “Michaelmas,” a feast in honor of the Archangel Michael. It is thought that the Roman Catholic Church at some point considered assigning the quarter dates to the four Archangels, since they had assigned the cross quarters to the four gospel-writers....

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Mabon(pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) marks the Second Harvest, the end of the grain harvest (which begun at Lughnasadh), and rests on the Autumn Equinox. The Equinox mirrors dwindling of life (and eventual progression to rebirth), as well as the struggle for balance; day and night are equal for a single day. Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

"be like the moon. the moon will never lie to anyone. no one hates the moon or wants to kill it. the moon does not take anti-depressants and never gets sent to prison. the moon never shot a guy in the face and ran away. the moon has been around a long time and has never tried to rip anyone off. the moon does not care who you want to touch or what color you are. the moon treats everyone the same....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Widdershins, and can be found in its entirety here: Be Like The Moon

I stumbled onto this wonderful festival which has been celebrated in China for a very long time. It doesn't qualify as "gypsy" magic, but it is a great way to celebrate the autumn equinox, and gave me lots of ideas of how to honor the fullness of the moon. This year (2010) the Moon festival is celebrated on Sept 22 (which is tomorrow).

The Moon Festival is full of legendary stories. Legend says that Chang Er flew to the moon, where she has lived ever since. You might see her dancing on the moon during the Moon Festival. The Moon Festival is also an occasion for family reunions. When the full moon rises, families get together to watch the full moon, eat moon cakes, and sing moon poems. With the full moon, the legend, the family and the poems, you can't help thinking that this is really a perfect world. That is why the Chinese are so fond of the Moon Festival.

I have gathered a great selection of poems to recite, songs to sing, legends to watch, recipes to prepare, and more. If you're interested, follow the links below and enjoy creating your own "Moon Festival" celebration.